JP2006507438A - Sensor in metal multi-layer cylinder head gasket and device for its connection - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multilayer cylinder gasket device (10) comprising at least two plates (12, 14) of a lower layer plate and an upper layer plate having ribs (16, 18), a base plate (44), and an intermediate plate (48). The base plate and the intermediate plate include a sensor (30) disposed in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the cylindrical hole (20) and a cable (36) for transmitting information from the sensor. ing. The present invention is characterized in that a bypass portion is provided between the base plate and the intermediate plate, and the transmission cable (36) passes along the bypass portion.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor in a metal multi-layer cylinder head gasket and a connection configuration thereof.

  In internal combustion engines, components are becoming more and more precise and more controlled, both during manufacture and during operations that start after assembly.

  Therefore, combustion is an important item not only for improving the output and performance of such internal combustion engines, but also for limiting pollution.

  In order to not only improve the output and performance of the internal combustion engine, but also limit pollution, the amount of fuel for the internal combustion engine and the amount of combustible material are fully quantified, timing, introduction point, and circulation before and after the explosion The dead zone is adjusted, the height of the gasket is controlled with high accuracy, and the explosion is controlled in particular.

  In addition, fuels for internal combustion engines themselves have been improved.

  The number of these parameters depends on the engine operating conditions such as the outside air temperature, the temperature of the air-fuel mixture before being introduced into the combustion chamber, the temperature of the engine, the temperature of the exhaust gas, etc. Depends on all parameters.

  A number of sensors are provided to measure these parameters and communicate them to the CPU via separate fibers or cables or via a bus.

  Such a sensor is of a known type, and is connected from the outside to groove portions provided in the engine block and the cylinder head at various locations of the fluid circuit, and is disposed at each location of the engine.

  However, the most desired parameters such as temperature and pressure in the combustion chamber are not provided, and vibration of the cylinder head relative to the engine block, or change in tightening or fatigue of the cylinder head gasket that changes over time, or change in elastic modulus No information is available about.

  By the way, if it is desired to improve the control and increase the accuracy, all parameters that need to be measured accurately are in the combustion chamber. This is advantageous in that it optimizes the output of the combustion cycle and limits incompletely burned fuel that is discarded to reduce contamination.

  On the other hand, the problem is that each of the internal combustion engines is premised on keeping the combustion chamber completely closed, so that each sensor does not cause a mechanical parameter correction, and in particular does not increase in thickness. One or more sensors are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the combustion chamber, ie directly in contact with the internal volume of the combustion chamber.

  An effective arrangement that can meet such requirements is an arrangement on a cylinder head gasket. The cylinder head gasket is a perfect boundary component because of its placement relative to the combustion chamber.

  Furthermore, remodeling the cylinder head gasket and attaching the sensor is not easy work, but it is possible to realize it, but when remodeling the engine block and mounting the sensor, ensure the airtightness of the subsequent passage. Problems arise.

  In fact, the sensor must be able to be connected to the central processing unit (CPU) by fiber or cable after being placed, so ensuring the airtightness of the passage is the most serious problem. Become.

  The configuration of the present invention provides a solution for fiber or cable passages by utilizing a cylinder head gasket as the location of at least one sensor, whatever the physical parameter being measured. is there.

  In the following description, the term cable refers to a conductor made of a wire such as copper that is coated on a thermal insulation or insulation sheath, or one or more optical fibers that are also coated on a thermal insulation or insulation sheath, or a flexible plane. It means without distinguishing the printed conductor.

  Actually, it is necessary to guide the cable from the combustion chamber to the periphery of the cylinder head gasket through the cylinder head gasket so that it can be connected to the CPU.

  The cable must be constructed so that it does not deteriorate under the clamping pressure of the cylinder head gasket and does not interfere with the primary function of this gasket, i.e., the tightness between the gasket and the engine block.

  Numerous patent applications that attempt to solve such problems are already known, but none of the solutions provided by these applications are satisfactory.

  In Japanese Patent Application No. 9915814, the cylinder head gasket used is a multilayer gasket. The sensor is located in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the cylindrical hole. The cable is disposed in a groove provided in the thickness direction of the first plate of the gasket. A compressible material bonded to the second sheet covers the groove and holds the cable in place within the groove.

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,132 describes a sensor system that allows the measurement of parameters in the combustion chamber by the output of signals measured outside the engine block by using a cylinder head gasket that allows the connection cable to pass through. Is disclosed.

  The means used consists of a rigid tube having a larger diameter than the one or more wires that are housed, with the surrounding gap filled with an insulating material.

  While such a configuration is satisfactory, the opposing parts must be processed to form a groove that can be received in each tube.

  This requires high accuracy and is costly and unacceptable for mass-produced industrial products.

  Hereinafter, the configuration according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments and modified embodiments thereof.

  The following description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a part of a multilayer type cylinder head gasket 10. These layers include two plates, a lower layer plate 12 and an upper layer plate 14, and in this embodiment, the two plates include ribs 16 and 18, respectively.

  A peripheral stopper 22 disposed between the two plates of the lower layer plate and the upper layer plate is provided on the side of the cylindrical hole 20.

  This peripheral stopper is composed of a single part 24 formed by casting or machining.

  The peripheral stopper 22 includes a groove portion 28. The groove can be formed by any means such as casting, stamping, processing, stamping and the like.

  The total height of the peripheral stopper is the thickness E.

  The sensor 30 is disposed in the groove and is held or coupled by the lower layer plate. The groove 28 is preferably open at the side 32 leading to the combustion chamber of the cylindrical hole 20.

  With such a configuration, the sensor can be in direct contact with the atmosphere in the combustion chamber, whereby various parameters can be measured depending on the type of sensor.

  The groove 28 has a passage 34 for the cable 36 on the side facing the open side 32. This cable 36 is connected to the sensor 30. In some cases, the cable has its extension in a flat sheath 38 that is formed with a predetermined cross-section including, for example, a double bypass. Its cross-section can be defined by a U-shape having an open branch 40 and a flat bottom 42.

  Further, the minimally configured cylinder head gasket as described herein includes a base plate 44, and a stopper juxtaposed to the base plate is mounted without being fixed in this first embodiment.

  The base plate includes an opening 46 that is straight with the cable 36 of the sensor 30 and aligned with the groove 28.

  The size of the opening is adjusted to receive a double bypass portion composed of the branch portion 40 and the bottom portion. The thickness e1 of the base plate is thicker than the thickness of the cable 36 including the exterior 38.

  An intermediate plate 48 is disposed on the base plate 44. The intermediate plate includes a bridge portion 50 and two open openings 52 and 54 provided on both sides of the bridge portion.

  The two openings are oriented so as to be above the sensor cable 36 and in particular above the sheath 38.

  The bridge is configured to be above the flat bottom 42 and the two branches 40 pass through both sides thereof.

  The thickness e2 of the intermediate plate is thicker than the thickness of the cable 36 including the exterior 38.

  The sum of the thickness e1 of the base plate and the thickness e2 of the intermediate plate is smaller than the thickness E of the stopper.

  3, the rib 16 of the lower layer plate 12 is supported by the base plate 44 to close the opening 46, and the rib 18 of the upper layer plate 14 is supported by the bridge 50.

  In such a configuration, the cable 36 and, in some cases, the cable sheath 38, pass through the conduit of the double bypass portion formed due to the shape of each part constituting the cylinder head gasket. .

  In other aspects of the gasket, the usual rules are applied and the associated behavioral effects are provided, so that in the technical field in which the present invention is concerned, such an arrangement does not impair hermeticity.

  Actually, it has been confirmed that the stopper receives a tightening stress between the engine block BM and the cylinder head CU. In the sensor area, the lower layer plate 12 and the upper layer plate 14 face this peripheral stopper to ensure airtightness. It is preferable that a filler is fitted into the groove 28 of the sensor 30 to fix the sensor and to form the first hermetic barrier by the most effective method.

  Similarly, a second hermetic barrier is formed facing the rib. Therefore, the ribs 16 of the lower layer plate 12 are pressed by the base plate 44, and the ribs 18 are pressed by the upper layer plate 14.

  It has also been confirmed that the cable is not subject to compression.

  In order to fill the gap volume around the cable and hold the cable, it is possible to introduce a polymer in the form of a heat-resistant elastomer.

  In the modified embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, elements having the same functions as those shown in the embodiment of FIGS. Show.

  In this embodiment, the base plate 144 is formed as a thick plate incorporating the stopper 122, that is, the base plate and the stopper are integrated.

  The base plate includes an opening 146 that is substantially the same as the opening 46 except that the edge of the opening is chamfered to support a cable 136 having an exterior 138.

  The intermediate plate 154 is in the form of a thin plate so that the entire thickness is thinner than the thickness facing the stopper, as in the above embodiment. Its thickness is approximately equal to the thickness of the cable 136.

  The intermediate plate includes a double bypass and a straight bridge 150 projecting straight against a flat bottom 142 that has a profile that substantially engages an opening 146 in the base plate.

  The assembly is similar to the above embodiment, and it is necessary to adapt the contours of the ribs 116 and 118 so that sufficient pressure is applied to the two plates, the lower layer plate and the upper layer plate.

  In this configuration, no element is supported by the cable, particularly as in the attached assembly shown in FIG. 4, so that even if time passes, there is no risk of the cable passing through the detour portion being crushed. .

  In addition, since the airtightness is maintained, the gasket can perform the first function between the engine block and the cylinder head.

  Such a plate is easy to manufacture industrially. For the product schematically illustrated, the person skilled in the art can adjust the complementary cut surface to be directly formed when stamping the finished layer, so that the construction according to the invention does not require any additional work. Also not needed.

  In addition, the cable coming out of the cylinder head gasket within the thickness in which the cable is embedded transmits the sensor information to the CPU without causing deterioration due to compression, so the object of the present invention can be achieved.

  If the cable is an optical fiber, the radius of curvature for the detour matches the allowed radius of curvature without interfering with the information being transmitted. The edge and groove of each opening is chamfered or widened as necessary.

It is a perspective view which shows a part of multilayer cylinder head gasket which has one sensor and the laminated body which consists of several layers. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of elements constituting a multilayer cylinder head gasket portion including the sensor shown in FIG. 1. It is sectional drawing of the multilayer cylinder head gasket part provided with the sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of a multilayer cylinder head gasket having one sensor and a laminate composed of several layers according to a modified embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of each element of the multilayer cylinder head gasket portion shown in FIG. 4. It is sectional drawing of the multilayer cylinder head gasket part shown to FIG.

Claims (9)

At least two plates (12, 14, 112, 114), a base plate (44, 144), an intermediate plate (48, 148) of a lower layer plate and an upper layer plate having ribs (16, 18, 116, 118) And a sensor (30, 130) in which the base plate and the intermediate plate are arranged in the immediate vicinity of a cylindrical hole (20, 120), and the sensor Including information transmission cables (36, 136) coming out of
A multilayer portion in which a bypass portion (46, 52, 54, 146, 152, 154) is provided between the base plate and the intermediate plate, and the transmission cable (36, 136) passes along the bypass portion Cylinder head gasket configuration. The base plate (44, 144) includes the transmission cable (36, 136) and a straight opening (46, 146) of the sensor (30, 130), and the intermediate plate (48, 148) includes a bridge portion. A multi-layer cylinder head gasket arrangement according to claim 1, comprising (50, 150) and two open openings (52, 54, 152, 154) provided on both sides of the bridge. The bridge portion (50, 150) is disposed on a transmission cable having a flat bottom portion (42, 142) and two branch portions (40, 140) and passing through the bypass portion. The multilayer cylinder head gasket configuration of claim 2, wherein the multilayer cylinder head gasket is configured. The multilayer cylinder head gasket configuration according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of the intermediate plate (48) is larger than the thickness of the transmission cable, and the bridge portion (50) is on the surface of the intermediate plate (48). The multilayer according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of the intermediate plate (148) is substantially equal to the thickness of the transmission cable, and the bridge portion (150) projects into the opening (146) of the base plate (144). Cylinder head gasket configuration. Between the plates (12, 14, 112, 114) having ribs, stoppers (22, 122) arranged straight with the base plate (44, 144) and the intermediate plate (48, 148) are provided. The multilayer cylinder head gasket configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a height E of the stopper is greater than a sum of a height e1 of the base plate and a height e2 of the intermediate plate. The stopper (22, 122) includes a groove (28, 128) for receiving the sensor (30, 130), and the groove is a side (32, 132) of the cylindrical hole (20, 120). The multi-layer cylinder head gasket arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the multi-layer cylinder head gasket arrangement is open to and includes a passageway (34, 134). The multilayer cylinder head gasket configuration according to claim 7, wherein a gap volume around the sensor in the groove (28, 128) is filled. The multilayer cylinder head gasket arrangement according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the stopper (22, 122) is mounted without being fixed to the plate.

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